![]() ![]() While there’s been somewhat of a departure from the series’ drab noire settings, there are moments that are still set in the dreary New York underbelly, and Max’s self-consciously angst-ridden monologues ensure that the fun and sun of São Paulo don’t dilute the franchise’s original tone. Rockstar needs to be applauded for the level of polish in this game’s presentation. Add to that the most superb voice-acting since the Uncharted series, wholly convincing camera angles, trippy filter effects and cut-scenes that have been so obviously story-boarded to perfection, and you have a game that’s more akin to an action film than the average third-person shooter. ![]() Of course, there’s a lot more to the plot than that, and indeed the overall story of Max Payne 3 is way above average. So starts a gritty, noir-infused plotline that sees Max and Raul attempting to save the kidnapped trophy-wife. Still, he’s now got a job protecting the ridiculously wealthy Branco family, but thanks to Max’s addiction and steadfast ability to find himself in trouble, he allows the wife of Rodrigo Branco, Fabiana, to be kidnapped. So instead of sitting in the snow-swept streets of New Jersey, popping painkillers and drinking scotch, Max moves to the sun-kissed streets of São Paulo to, well, pop more painkillers and drink more scotch. Fortunately an old colleague called Raul Passos finds Max and persuades him to take a security job in South America. Since the end of Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, our eponymous character has pretty much popped painkillers and boozed his way into oblivion. He’s probably the most depressed and cynical video game character in history, but the guy’s got a good reason for that. But look at the game as the sum of its parts and there’s no denying that it’s utterly fantastic. However, Max Payne 3 is a “bigger picture” kind of game – if you analyse each of its components on their own then sure, it’s a good game. There’s no continual trickle of new abilities or enemy types it’s the same thing from when you fire that first bullet into a thug’s cranium, to when you fire the last bullet and the credits roll. Right off the bat, that would be my biggest criticism of Max Payne 3: it very rarely does new things. Max Payne 3 is a lot like your favourite restaurant: it doesn’t change all that often, but it’s reliable and consistent in what it does. It might not have changed in months, years or ever at all, but you still go back and you order off the same menu you always have. ![]() You keep going back because you know that it’s a consistent place that serves good food. There’s probably a restaurant that you frequent with your significant other. ![]() Up first is Miklós, who happily admits to having “played the SHIT out of” the original Max Payne and its sequel, Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne, and has buckets of love for them. Since balance is what keeps the world from spinning off its axis or something (science says it’s not), we’ve decided to deliver two reviews of divisive Max Payne 3 exposing the wildly differing perspectives of two bullet-riddled reviewers. Max walked in, said two bitter words and all the NAG staffers immediately dove slow-motion sideways (it’s instinct, you see) into critic alley while firing opinion-bullets at each other. The dude seems to cause a big ol’ ruckus wherever he goes. ![]()
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